Hendrian’s early birdies kickstart sectional title pursuit as Raiders, Chargers punch tickets to state

QUINCY — Olliver Hendrian never expected his tee shot on the par-3 second hole at Spring Lake Country Club to wind up 15 or so yards behind the green.

“Apparently I have too much muscle,” the Quincy Notre Dame sophomore golfer said with a sarcastic sideways grin. “I have to stop going to the gym.”

As long as he doesn’t stop working on his short game.

Hendrian chipped in for birdie from behind the green, gave himself several looks at birdie on the back nine Monday and was the only golfer in the Class 1A sectional field to break par as he posted a 2-under 70 to spearhead the Raiders’ pursuit of a state tournament bid.

Notre Dame won the ninth sectional championship in program history, posting a 296 team total. The Raiders’ score was 43 strokes better than their team total at last week’s regional as they went from their worst score of the season to one of their best.

“I am ecstatic with the way they played today,” QND coach Brian Hendrian said. “We needed that. We have not truly played to our potential most of the season, and they did that today.”

The Raiders posted four scores of 77 or better and were 12 strokes better than their nearest competitor on the front nine to set the right tone.

“It was better course management today,” QND junior Aiden Tangy said.

Illini West, which won the regional title, took second at sectionals with a 328 to earn the second trip to state as a team in the past three seasons. Delavan earned the other team berth by finishing third at 334.

The Class 1A state tournament will be played at Prairie Vista Golf Course in Bloomington, Ill., but because of where Yom Kippur falls on the calendar — the Jewish holiday is celebrated October 11-12 — the state tournament won’t take place until Oct. 18-19.

“I’m not really sure how to handle it,” said Brian Hendrian, who has led two QND teams to state in his first six seasons but always three days following sectionals. “Hopefully we can keep the momentum.”

Olliver Hendrian isn’t quite as concerned.

“This gives us a lot of motivation,” he said.

Their play at regionals did the same.

Hendrian shot an 85 at Deer Run Golf Course in Hamilton a week ago, but was determined to flush that from his memory. A birdie on the par-4 first hole Monday started that process, albeit not without a little bit of angst.

Two of the four QND players teeing off in groups ahead of him hit their tee shots into the pond to the left of the No. 1 fairway. His playing partners did the same.

“I tried to not let that get into my head,” Olliver Hendrian said.

It didn’t. His tee shot found the middle of the fairway, his approach found the center of the green and his putt hit the middle of the cup. Then came the chip-in for birdie at No. 2.

“I didn’t really relax,” Hendrian said. “I kept on trying to push myself to make more and more birdies.”

He finished with five birdies, including making fours on the back-to-back par-5s on the back nine.

“It’s my home course,” Olliver Hendrian said. “I knew where to miss it. I had a lot more confidence coming in and that definitely helped. I just thought about the next best shot and how I could get the next shot to be the best I could.”

And he avoided distractions.

“I really didn’t talk to anyone other than my playing partners about my score,” Hendrian said. “I just stayed in my own mind.”

Tangy had a similar rebound from regionals as he went from a 95 at Hamilton to a 3-over 75 Monday, which left him fifth individually.

“I made some really nice putts,” Tangy said. “That was the key to it.”

He started the back nine at 2-over, but made birdie on the par-3 11th, just as he did during the practice round.

“I felt good going into the rest of the back nine after that,” Tangy said.

QND junior Beau Eftink shot a 74 to finish third and sophomore Harper Hough was seventh with a 77. Sophomore Grant Lepper posted an 80 and Keeden Orpet-Hulett carded a 91.

Freshman Nolan Murphy led Illini West with a 78, which was eighth individually. Chargers senior Nick Bruns and freshman Bryson Grotts shot 83, while junior Brennan Grotts and junior Wsley Robertson posted 84.

Pittsfield sophomore Isaac McGlauchlen qualified for state as an individual, finishing tied for 11th with a 79.